A renewable energy invention by a local inventor has not received the publicity or support it deserves. The low head water turbine designed by Fred Sundermann of Heyfield has been around for some time. The first prototype was tested at San Remo in 2009.
The turbine is designed to operate in slow to medium flowing waters and is ideally suited to tidal situations. The unlisted public company set up to commercialise the invention claims that “they are leading the way revolutionising water turbine technology” and that their aim is “to capture the full potential of ocean and river currents”.
“The Sundermann low-head water turbine is a submerged water turbine which drives a generator. The turbine has been specifically designed to maximize operational efficiency in slow to medium water flows of 6 – 12 knots.” And “the company’s core technology is a unique Modular Micro Hydro turbine, the main component in a complete renewable energy system.”
Each turbine can deliver 100kw and they can be arranged in banks to produce up to 1mw. Amongst its advantages are that of providing low cost baseload power with “minimum visual impact on the aquatic environment” and “minimal visual impact.” The latter should please our current batch of pollies in Canberra no end, but one suspects that they are opposed to any form of renewable energy that threatens coal.
With severe climate change effects threatening us we need these and other similar ideas in abundance. For further information go to http://www.sundermannwaterpower.com/